Posts Tagged ‘Learn to dance’

We all think that we have a great sense of humor and rhythm…

Well, not all of us have a great sense of rhythm.  Luckily, learning straight timing and simple rhythm patterns can be learned.  If you learned to count as a child and can still count as an adult, then a sense of “straight time” can be taught to you.  It happens everyday… all around the the world.  And it can happen to you too!

Straight time… “Hip to be Square!” – Huey Lewis and the News

If you clap on the 2 and the 4 to music on the radio (okay, sometimes you may slip and clap on the 1 and 3), then you are a victim of straight time.  Much of the pop music on the radio today is written with some common similarities.  Music written in common time, has 4 beats in a measure.  If we lined the beats up in a pretty little row, they would be evenly spaced and very regular, just like a child counting…

1   2   3   4

When you snap, clap or bob you head to the music, you tend to do it on the 2 and the 4 and pause on the 1 and 3.

Sometimes, musicians like to use more than just the basic 4 counts in a measure.  They like to use the space between the counts as well. In the spaces, we will put an “and”. The ”ands” tend to be noted with a “+”.  So now our little row of regular spaced numbers looks like this.

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

Now there is a little more variety for the musicians.  While we still clap on the 2 and the 4, the musicians are allowed to use any of the 4 counts and the spaces between counts to express themselves.  Everything is still very regularly spaced and even in time.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” – Ivie Anderson

Swing timing does things a little differently than straight timing.  Swing and Jazz musicians like to use the space between the + and the count.  The space between the  + and the count is called “ah” or noted simply as “a”.  So now our pretty little row of numbers is not so balanced and square. 

 1  +a2  +a3  +a4

To really make it swing, the musicians take out the +’s and use the counts and the a’s.  Now things are really starting to swing.

1   a2   a3   a4

See how everything isn’t evenly spaced anymore.  With swing timing, musicians have even more interesting possibilities than in straight timing.  A popular swing or jazz rhythm you may have heard is “leg-a-lamb”.  You may hear this familiar pattern when a drummer taps a cymbal rhythmically through out a song.

1      a2           3      a4
leg-a-Lamb  leg-a-Lamb

What does this trip to “Mathmagic Land” have to do with dancing?

Music is very mathmatical.  It has order, time, patterns and a lot of fractions… 2 beats, 1 beat, half beats, quarter beats…. You may start to think that you need a degree in Applied Physics in order to ballroom dance or swing dance in time to the music.  Not so my friend.  There is an easier way than doing all this math in your head.

Boom-a-Boom  Boom-a-Boom Tah-Tee

If you have ever struggled to teach yourself to play a popular song on the piano, you know it is just easier to sing the words to the music on the radio.  So why worry about all the math and just sing this little song in your head instead? 

ZeDiamond Dance Method makes it easy to understand rhythm and timing for dances and music by doing what comes naturally.  You will forget about the math, and feel the music in your body while using Boom-a-Boom to help you keep time.  With ZeDiamond Dance Method you will learn how to  dance ballroom or swing steps, while learning proper rhythm and timing.  This will make you a better dancer, right from the start!

East Coast Swing is made up of triples and rock-steps.  “Boom-a-Boom” is the equivilant of “Leg-a-Lamb” and those are our triples.  “Tah-Tee” represents the rock steps.  To watch a video the shows the ZeDiamond Dance Method in action, click here.

ZeDiamond Dance Method is a revolutionary new way to learn to dance.  It was created by Deborah-Marie Diamond and Zeki Maviyildiz.  Both are drummers and dancers in Asheville, NC.  

Many drummers are taught rhythm patterns by using nonsense syllables to replace counts. Many times, these nonsense syllables are easier to say than the numbers and counts they represent.  Walk up to a drummer and say “leg-a-Lamb” and they will understand the rhythm pattern it represents. 

Deborah-Marie and Zeki are doing the same thing, but for East Coast Swing Dancers in the Asheville, NC area with Boom-a-Boom. Click here, and you will learn the history of ZeDiamond Dance Method and get the whole story.  Click here to watch Deborah-Marie and Zeki dance East Coast Swing together.

See you out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes
ZeDiamond Dance Method

The countdown to Valentine’s Day has started!

That’s right boys and girls.  We have less than 30 days to figure out what we are going to do for this Valentine’s Day holiday.  Some of us will go out… Some of us will stay in… Some of us will be stuck working (just one of the perks of the service industry)… But all of us will be doing something to honor (or dishonor) this upcoming holiday.

My favorite way to celebrate any holiday is to go out and go dancing.  No big surprise there.  But what is surprising is the number of other people who celebrate through dance.  We dance at weddings.  We dance family reunions.  We dance at tailgate parties (don’t think for a second I didn’t see you be-bopping around to the radio with a chicken wing in one hand and a frosty beverage in the other).  We dance in our kitchens when no one is watching.  So why should Valentine’s Day be any different?  We are celebrating love… the hunt for love… the hope for love… and our desire to be loved.  We should be dancing with all the love and joy in our hearts.

Wait a second – Don’t tell me you don’t dance!

As children, we all dance.  I’ve got two nephews that can prove it.  At any given time, be it car, canoe or K-Mart, if they hear even the faintest music, they are dancing to it.  Mind you, they aren’t going to win “So You Think You Can Dance” anytime soon.  But they are having a great time and they don’t care who is watching them.

Something happens as we get older.  We get insecure and lose our confidence.  Rather than having fun and enjoying ourselves like children, we worry about looking silly and unattractive to others.  But some of us overcome this and still enjoy to dance.  Those who do not overcome these self-imposed setbacks, long to dance.

The perfect gift - A lifetime of dancing together.

Unlike a membership to the jelly of the month club, the gift of dance keeps on giving.  You get to spend the rest of your life enjoying the benefits of learning to dance…  Improved confidence, better connection with your partner, and the ability to make any night out, a romantic night out.  Plus, you get to really wow them at the next wedding or family reunion.  Click here to see if learning to ballroom or swing dance is right for you.

As always, I look forward to seeing you out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method

Amy and Jason Barnes cutting a rug

Home from a long weekend of swing dancing at “Worlds”.

 I was camped out at the Opryland Hotel from Thursday through Sunday.  I danced and danced and danced… and then danced some more.  Jason danced so much, his big toe became incredibly sore.  It was official, my swing was all swung out.  I left it all out there on the dance floor.

On Saturday night, I was getting lined-up with the rest of the competitors for the West Coast Swing Jack and Jill’s.  I was shocked at what I saw.  There was a complete lack of men a.k.a. LEADERS.

Where the ladies are…

So here I am in the line-up, 8 followers and 2 leaders.  I go into a group class, and I see 4 extra followers.  I know women who have learned to lead just because they are tired of sitting.  Men, if you can’t seem to find women at you local watering hole, try a local ballroom or swing dance.  You will meet all kinds of women!!!

One small dance step for man… one giant leap for mankind.

The first time trying something new is sometimes difficult.  The hardest part is getting started.  For would be dancers, it’s taking the first lesson.  My favorite dance students are beginners.  I love them and their energy.  But I am baffled by the amount of time that has passed between them wanting to learn to dance and making it to the first lesson.  It’s years!!!  It is not uncommon for someone to tell me they have wanted to learn to dance for 5, 10, or 15 years (or their wife or girlfriend has been talking about it for that long), but they never called a dance teacher or walked into a dance studio until just a few days ago. The first few steps just inside the dance hall’s door can be the hardest.  I understand, especially for men, just getting in the door is a giant leap.

What if you could walk into a ballroom or swing dance with a little more confidence in your step?

Sometimes, we fear only what we don’t know.  As a first time dancer, you may feel a little nervous because you think everyone at the dance knows more than you.  I get that, nobody like to be the low man on the totem poll.  So what if you could pick up a few moves before walking through the door?  What if you could dance your first dance in your kitchen or living room, rather than a dance studio.  What if you could learn enough East Coast Swing to dance all night long, without looking silly or unskilled to your partner? 

Check out how easy it can be to learn to learn how to East Coast Swing Dance!

Visit the ZeDiamond Dance Method website to see just how easy it can be.  There you can watch a video and check out how it works.  ZeDiamond Dance Method in a new way to learn to dance.  You will also find easy to follow instructional DVD’s for learning how to East Coast Swing Dance.  Give them a try.  You will be up and dancing and feeling more comfortable moving with the music by the end of this 2 DVD set.

Dancing with men.

I love dancing with men.  Skill level is not so important.  I love dancing with young men, old men, men in street shoes, men in jeans… I even once danced in a swing competition with a man who danced in black socks – NO SHOES!  Men, I know I’m not the only women who feels this way.  We need you men… at every dance, at every group dance class, at every swing dance party.  My tired, worn-out, danced himself into a limp, husband needs you too.  Please come take some of the followers off his hands so he can sit down once in awhile. Followers all over the world need you.  So please, take the first dance steps and learn how to dance with us.

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method 

Learn the East Coast Swing in a whole new way!   Swing dancing has been around since the late 1920’s and has evolved with many different swing versions.  And now learning the East Coast Swing  has been perfected by two dancers with drumming and rhythm background.  ZeDiamond Dance Method’s approach to dance is better suited for the  modern swing dancer.   www.ZeDiamondDanceMethod.com

With the times so hectic, everyone is saying there just isn’t enough time.  Well, ZeDiamond Dance Method, is all about time and timing.  It’s about reconnecting to your self and your partner in a whole new way.  It’s the zen of swing dancing!  Can you imagine?  Dance the swing and feel more grounded and centered?  You can with ZeDiamond Dance Method.  www.ZeDiamondDanceMethod.com.